The Illinois State Museum invites families to come make winter-themed art at this month’s Super Saturday, Winter Craft Day, on December 14th from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.These crafts could make great gifts or decorations, but most importantly they will be a lot of fun to create! Find out more ...

Despite America's long held fascination with the whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus), rarely has there been an opportunity to carry out a study focusing on one aspect of whitetail behavior over a period of five decades in one location. Find out more ...

Super Saturdays at the Museum: Tusks, Teeth, and Tundra: Ice Age Giants

Presented by Jeffrey Saunders, Ph.D., Curator and Chair of Geology, Illinois State Museum

In October 1965 three young men from Minnesota (Jeff Saunders, a geology student; John Folk, a botany student; and Pete McCarthy, a Boundary Waters vagabond) traveled to McMurdo Station, Antarctica (1) as part of the 1965/1966 US Antarctic Research Program support staff. Find out more ...

ISM Curator of Art Robert Sill will discuss some of his research for his next two curatorial projects: FOCUS 4, THOM WHALEN and Protext Art: When Visual Art Meets the Written Word.

This slideshow will wander through some of the art by artists who have influenced FOCUS 4 artist Thom Whalen’s artistic oeuvre. By examining the sources of the artist’s inspiration, we get a glimpse into his creative process and how those influences get combined into his unique production. Find out more ...

Super Saturdays at the Museum: Eagles, Falcons, & Hawks: Not Just Sports Teams

Several 16th-century accounts relate the expedition of Hernando de Soto and his army in the Southeast during the spring of 1540, as well as the forays of Juan Pardo and his soldiers in 1567. Find out more ...

Brownbag Lectures: Out of Beringia: Genetics, Paleo-ecology, and Archaeology

Presented by John F. Hoffecker, INSTAAR/University of Colorado-Boulder & Illinos State Museum

Human geneticists argue that most Native Americans are derived from a population isolated from its source in Asia for thousands of years before dispersing in the Americas, and some suggest that the isolated population was located in Beringia during the Last Glacial Maximum [LGM] (i.e., “Out of Beringia” or “Beringian Stand-still” model). Evidence has accumulated for decades that central Beringia supported a shrub tundra environment with some trees and experienced relatively mild temperatures during the LGM, apparently reflecting the effect of moist air from the North Pacific Ocean.The central Beringian shrub tundra zone represents a credible LGM refugium for humans and may have been the only substantive source of wood at high latitudes during this interval (roughly 28,000 to 17,000 years ago).The Yana River sites document human occupation of northwestern Beringia before the LGM.The absence of archaeological sites dating to the LGM may be explained by the inundation of central Beringia after 12,000 years ago.Sites dating to the post-LGM period include (1) an industry that is recently derived from Northeast Asia (Dyuktai) after 15,000 years ago, as well as (2) another industry or industries (Ushki-Nenana) that has no obvious antecedents outside Beringia and may be an archaeological proxy for the hypothesized “Beringia Standstill” population that occupied central Beringia during the LGM and subsequently dispersed southward to the Americas.

Presented by Tih-Fen Ting, Ph.D., Department of Environmental Studies, University of Illinois at Springfield

Distributed widely over the northern Great Plains, Franklin’s ground squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii) has a range extending from the central United States to southern Canadian Plains. Find out more ...

Art + Science of Craft BeerTGIF! Indulge your taste buds and your mind First Friday, April 4 at the Illinois State Museum as we explore the art and science of craft beer – and drink – in Illinois. Find out more ...

Svenja Weise, Ph.D., Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, will give a Special Brown Bag Presentation on Friday, April 4, 2014at Noon, in the Special Programs Room at the Illinois State Museum Research and Collections Center.

Presented by Joel Greenberg, Research Associate at the Chicago Academy of Science's Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and the Field Museum, Chicago, IL, and the author of A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon's Flight to Extinction.

The passenger pigeon was unlike any other bird. It probably numbered in the billions, making it the most abundant bird in North America if not the world. Find out more ...

Dr. Gary Haynes, Foundation Professor of Anthropology at the University of Nevada-Reno, will present "American Subsistance Choices During the Early Dispersal Era (a.k.a., Clovis and Proto-Clovis)."

Early Dispersal sites with adequate evidence about subsistence and diet during the period are widely scattered and cannot possibly be fair indications of a pan-continental Clovis-era "diet." Yet they do suggest a large-prey preference. Find out more ...

"What I decided to do recently was increase the physical scale of the work. Make them larger than typical functional size and a few things happen. No longer are they regarded as “pots” by most people, and the larger pieces do not face the immediate dismissal that often faces pottery. They become more sculptural, more figural. Find out more ...

Gallery Talk: Richard Deutsch and Karen Perl

ISM Chicago GalleryWednesday, December 18, 2013, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Please join us for an informal conversation with two of the artist in our current exhibition, The Art of Description.

Richard Deutsch and Karen Perl paintings are infused with light and silence. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 18 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Please join us on Wednesday, March 19 at noon for an afternoon poetry and improvised music performance with Sandra Binion, one of the artists in our current exhibition, The Art of Description. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

"Sculptural Embellishments" by Sandra Wilcoxon. Sandra Wilcoxon is a jeweler and a sculptor. First dazzled by the range of tones in pearls, Wilcoxon began creating woven pieces that explored color. Find out more ...

First Nations Film and Video Festival

ISM Chicago GalleryFriday, May 02, 2014, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The ISM Chicago Gallery presents a special program.The First Nations Film and Video Festival, 2014 Program ScheduleFriday, May 2, 2014

Free and open to the public.

11am: Introduction from FNFVF Director7 short films by Native American filmmakers

Feature Film1:00 pm "The Cherokee Word for Water", Film by Charlie Soap Charlie Soap was Wilma Mankiller's husband and community development partner for more than 30 years, and a leader in the Bell Waterline project that inspired the film.

Soap and Mankiller worked to bring water to the rural, primarily, Cherokee community of Bell, OK. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 20 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

"Jewels of the Prairie State" by Chris Main. A longtime resident of Southern Illinois, Chris Main is a conservationist and photographer who focuses on the beauty found right here in Illinois. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Pro-Text: When Words Enter Visual Art

ISM Chicago GalleryWednesday, October 15, 2014, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Join us for a lively and informal gallery talk and tour with exhibition Curator Robert Sill, Illinois State Museum's Assistant Director of Art at noon on October 15, 2014.

Pro-Text: When Words Enter Visual Art explores the various ways artists choose to combine language in their visual art. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 15 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 20 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Browse one-of-a-kind artwork by 12-14 Juried Illinois Artisans and find that special gift. Presented by the Illinois Artisans Program, the Art Sprees are a monthly chance to shop local and meet the artisans. Find out more ...

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a monthly Movie Matinee featuring the Indiana Jones series beginning Saturday, January 4, 2014, at 1:00 pm.Participants will enjoy complimentary popcorn and beverages while viewing Raiders of the Lost Ark.This 1981 classic is set in 1936 and depicts archaeologist Indiana Jones on a quest to recover the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis. Find out more ...

The folk group Compass will return to the Hickory Ridge Concert series on Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 7:30 pm.Compass is comprised of five men in search of a direction (we all know that men never ask for directions!).COMPASS delivers a virtual folk festival with tunes from "the folk scare of the 60s", traditional folk songs, a cappella sea shanties, as well as a wealth of original material.

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a monthly Movie Matinee series featuring Indiana Jones.On Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 1:00 p.m., participants will enjoy complimentary popcorn and beverages while viewing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.This 1984 classic is a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark and is set in 1935.It depicts archaeologist Indiana Jones on a quest to find a mystical stone in India. Find out more ...

At Dickson Mounds on Thursday, February 6, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. the Tots and their Big Person topic will be “Animals in Winter”. Wildlife Prairie State Park will show live critters and talk about how they live in the winter.Following the program, tots will enjoy hands-on crafts.

Admission is free and registration is not required. Light refreshments will be served. Find out more ...

Activities include art and poetry competitions, crafts for kids, live raptor programs, and bird watching.Sponsored by Dickson Mounds, The Nature Conservancy, US Fish & Wildlife Services, UIS Therkildsen Field Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Fulton and Mason County Arts Councils, Havana and Lewistown Chambers, Havana Public Library District and Nature Center, and Emiquon Audubon. Find out more ...

Award winning folk duo Curtis and Loretta will return to the Hickory Ridge Concert Series this Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 7:30 pm for a captivating evening of finely honed vocal harmonies, abundant talent on an array of stringed instruments, deep traditional roots music and great originals.Seventy-three strings and two voices deliver an enchanting evening of contemporary original songs, traditional Celtic ballads, old-time American songs, and more.

The glue that holds all this together is their magical harmonies, and their skill on a parade of stringed instruments, from Celtic harp and mandocello, to steel ukulele and kazoo, to mandolin, guitar, and clawhammer banjo. Find out more ...

Dickson Mounds Museum will be hosting an Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) workshop focusing on the resource trunks and Field Trip Packs that are for loan to educators statewide.These teaching tools are loaded with hands-on, supplemental, Illinois-specific items that can make lessons come alive for students!Preview all 10 resource trunks and the Field Trip Pack, too, including the new lessons specifically developed for meeting the Next Generation Science Standards.Participants will have the opportunity to examine the trunks’ contents, to learn how they can be used in the classroom, and to take part in activities.Educators will receive many additional curriculum resources.The workshop is appropriate for teachers of grade Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. Find out more ...

Dickson Mounds Museum will host our first ever Weekend Knap-In Saturday and Sunday, March 1, 2, 2014 from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.The public is welcome to view flint knapping demonstrations and ask questions about this ancient form of technology.Participants may learn about the different techniques used by several craftsmen and see their stone tool creations.Blades from the Mackinaw-Aldrich Cache discovered in 1916 near Mackinaw in Tazewell County will also be on display. Find out more ...

Artifact Identification Day

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumSunday, March 02, 2014, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Dickson Mounds Museum will host the 32nd Annual Artifact Identification Day on Sunday, March 2, 2014 between 10:00 a.m. Find out more ...

Illinois Valley Archaeological Society Lecture Series

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumWednesday, March 05, 2014, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Mr. Robert Mazrim, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, will present a lecture titled: Archaeological Reflections of the American Frontier in Illinois 1815-1840 at the Wednesday, March 5, 2014 meeting of the Illinois Valley Archaeological Society. Find out more ...

Tots and their Big Person: Duck, Duck, Goose

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumThursday, March 06, 2014, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

At Dickson Mounds on Thursday, March 6, 2014, at 9:30 a.m., the Tot Time topic will be Duck, Duck, Goose. The Illinois Natural History Survey-Forbes Biological Station will show live birds and share information about each species.Following the program, tots will enjoy hands-on crafts.

Admission is free and registration is not required. Light refreshments will be served. Find out more ...

Museum Movie Matinee—The Indiana Jones Series

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumSaturday, March 08, 2014, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a monthly Movie Matinee series featuring Indiana Jones.On Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 1:00 p.m., participants will enjoy complimentary popcorn and beverages while viewing “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”.This 1989 classic is the third movie in the Indiana Jones series and is set in 1938.It depicts archaeologist Indiana Jones searching for his missing father, a Holy Grail scholar, who had been kidnapped by the Nazis.Following the movie, participants may embark upon a non-competitive scavenger hunt through the Museum.

This program is free and registration is not required.Donations are welcomed.Children ages 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Bugs, wetlands, trees, plants, mammals, birds, flowers, and more! Explore various aspects of nature in two days. Find out more ...

Bird Watching at Emiquon

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumSaturday, March 29, 2014, 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a bird watching opportunity at the Wetland Observatory at the Emiquon Preserve on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 7:00 a.m. Find out more ...

Illinois Valley Archaeological Society Lecture Series

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumWednesday, April 02, 2014, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Mr. Richard L. Fishel, Senior Research Archaeologist, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, will present a talk titled: “Recent Investigations at a Probable 1820s Potawatomi Winter Homestead along the Spoon River” at the Wednesday, April 2, 2014 meeting of the Illinois Valley Archaeological Society. Find out more ...

Tot Time: Fun for Tots & their Big People

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumThursday, April 03, 2014, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

At Dickson Mounds Museum on Thursday, April 3, 2014, at 9:30 a.m., the Tot Time topic will be "From Garbage to Art." The program will emphasize the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling garbage. Find out more ...

Museum Movie Matinee—The Indiana Jones Series

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumSaturday, April 05, 2014, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Enjoy the Indiana Jones movies once a month on a Saturday afternoon January-April in the Museum's auditorium. Find out more ...

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a summer camp experience for adults, A Taste of Archaeology, June 3 – 5, 2014 from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm. Find out more ...

IVAS Lecture Series: From the Illinois to Ohio Valley and Back Again: Understanding the Mississippian Era

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumWednesday, June 04, 2014, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Please note: this talk was rescheduled from May.

Dr. Jeremy Wilson, Director, Angel Mounds National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, will present a talk titled: “From the Illinois to Ohio Valley and Back Again: Understanding the Mississippian Era” at the Wednesday, June 4, 2014 meeting of the Illinois Valley Archaeological Society. Find out more ...

Tot Time: Fun for Tots & their Big People

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumThursday, June 05, 2014, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Bringing history to life, Histories for Kids, Inc. presents “Pirate Stories” at the Dickson Mounds Museum, as part of the Tot Time program series on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 9:30am. Find out more ...

Father-Son Atlatl Creations

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumSaturday, June 07, 2014, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a Father-Son atlatl making workshop on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. Find out more ...

Gain experience as a young archaeologist. Work alongside professional archaeologists. Participate in an excavation, discover artifacts, and learn how to identify, clean, organize, and sort your finds. Find out more ...

Summer Fun Fridays!

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumFriday, June 13, 2014, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Dickson Mounds Museum is hosting a new summer program series for kids ages 9 - 11 years old. Find out more ...

More than Bows-n-Arrows

ISM Dickson Mounds MuseumSunday, June 15, 2014, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

The Dickson Mounds Museum presents More Than Bows and Arrows on Sunday, June 15, 2014 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Find out more ...

Events, ISM Lockport

After Hours with the Author: Dennis Cremin

ISM Lockport GalleryTuesday, December 10, 2013, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Join in the conversation with historian and author Dennis Cremin who will discuss his new book Grant Park: The Evolution of Chicago’s Front Yard.This event is part of our programming series for the exhibition sketches, journals, preparations. Find out more ...

Gallery "Walk and Talk"

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, December 15, 2013, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Join us for a Gallery “Walk and Talk” led by exhibition curator Jennifer Jaskowiak, Curator of Art, ISM Lockport Gallery. Find out more ...

Two Artists: Yerkes and Moessel

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, February 09, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Curators Doug Stapleton, ISM Chicago Gallery, and Jennifer Jaskowiak, ISM Lockport Gallery will introduce you to two historic Illinois artists who worked in the early 20th century:Mary Agnes Yerkes (1886-1989) and Julius Moessel (1871-1959).Exhibition curator Jennifer Jaskowiak will speak about the remarkable life and work of Oak Park native Mary Agnes Yerkes; most noted for her light filled paintings of the national parks and Pacific coastline.German-born artist Julius Moessel arrived in Chicago in the late 1920s after nearly 30 years as a painter of interior architectural decoration.Assistant Curator Doug Stapleton will talk about the many aspects of Moessel’s work as an observer of the natural world.This event is part of our free Sunday Series for the exhibition sketches, journals, preparations. Find out more ...

Sketching Still Life Workshop with artist Susan Frankel

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, March 02, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

We’ll provide the inspiration, you bring your sketchpad and pencils to this discussion and “How’d they do that?” workshop. Find out more ...

ISM Lockport Gallery will be open special hours on Saturday, June 14, from 11am to 5 pm and extended hours, Sunday, June 15, from 11am to 5 pm, during the Canal Days festival for viewing of the exhibition Civil War Quilters: Loyal Hearts of Illinois.

A visit to an American Civil War site is a walk in the footsteps of history. Find out more ...

John Siblik "River Weaving"

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, July 27, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

A “How’d They Do That?” event, come hear directly from the artist about the temporary outdoor installation “River Weaving” IN the Illinois & Michigan Canal. Find out more ...

Curator's Tour and Public Reception

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, August 10, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

All are welcome to participate in a gallery walk-n-talk led by Angela Goebel-Bain, Curator of Decorative Arts and curator of the exhibition “Loyal Hearts.” The Curator will focus on the stories of selected objects in the exhibition. Find out more ...

Civil War Nurse, Clara Barton

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, September 28, 2014, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

History comes to life in this first-person portrayal by historian Leslie Goddard. Clara Barton earned fame as the first woman to serve as a nurse on the front lines of a battlefield. Find out more ...

Winter Art Break

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, December 28, 2014, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Break from the hustle, enjoy art and refreshments. Free and open to the public.

Join us at the Museum when artist Guy Benson and Curator Doug Stapleton (ISM Chicago) discuss Benson’s current work and important moments in his career as an Illinois artist. Find out more ...

Lockport Old Canal Days Festival

ISM Lockport GallerySaturday, June 20, 2015, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

ISM Lockport Gallery will be open special hours on Saturday, June 20, from 11am to 5 pm and regular hours, Sunday, June 21, from noon to 5 pm, during the Canal Days festival for viewing of the exhibition Focus 4: Four Solo Exhibitions.PARKING WILL BE EXTREMELY LIMITED.

ISM Lockport Gallery will be open special hours on Saturday, June 20, from 11am to 5 pm and regular hours, Sunday, June 21, from noon to 5 pm, during the Canal Days festival for viewing of the exhibition Focus 4: Four Solo Exhibitions.PARKING WILL BE EXTREMELY LIMITED.

Beginning at 2pm, artist Aaron Miller will be painting from life inside the space of his exhibition Aaron Miller—Paintings and Drawings, part of the City of Lockport’s Summer Art Series 2015. Find out more ...

Reception for Aaron Miller Drawing from Life Exhibition

ISM Lockport GallerySaturday, July 25, 2015, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Gaylord Building—2nd Floor200 West 8th Street, Lockport

Reception for exhibition: Aaron Miller Drawing from Life. Find out more ...

Dick Blick Sunday: New Products and Demonstrations

ISM Lockport GallerySunday, July 26, 2015, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Come learn about the latest products being offered by Dick Blick Art Supplies on Sunday, July 26, 2015, at the ISM Lockport Gallery. Find out more ...

In this two day seminar, Maras teaches techniques for using dry pastels. Students will have the opportunity to create 2 small pastel paintings and 1 medium-sized pastel painting during the workshop. Find out more ...

In this two day seminar, Maras teaches techniques for using dry pastels. Students will have the opportunity to create 2 small pastel paintings and 1 medium-sized pastel painting during the workshop. Find out more ...